By: C. Kent, aka (Superman) We missed a day this week because of rain. Because of an extra day off I expected that the riders would be eager to just get in an easy 38 miles with an average cruising speed. Little did I realize how wrong I was. I got to the parking lot just a bit early and had plenty of time to visit with Digger before Dragon Slayer rode up. Surgeon was soon to follow as was Gambler and Bulldozer and Jackal. Minotaur pulled in about the same time as Socrates and Newsboy. The last to pull in was Barracuda on a classic steel bike with of all things fenders. It was going to be a flat ride but I could tell Barracuda wouldn’t be hammering today. None the less we headed out of the parking lot and south down Gilmore to start the ride.

I was about the thank my lucky stars that Bloodhound wasn’t with us as we cruised to Kirby and got ready to head south in Kirby when Bulldozer rolled by me picking up speed. I had made the mistake of not responding to such a break last Friday and I never saw the A group again before the ride was over. Today I latched on till we got to Cypress and headed west before I realized we were dropping the rest of the group. I pulled up and Newsboy took up the chase followed by Gambler. Gambler and Bulldozer made the light at Johnston and Sanderson and I thought that was the end of it but we got a quick green and caught them at the light on Stetson. I was able to get out front and get a shot of the group before we made it to Mustang.

As we pulled up to the light on Domenigoni it was decided that some of the A group would do Seven Dollar hill while I took the B group to McSweeney. As we turned east the pace quickened and sure enough the A group pulled off at Searl and I took the rest of us around the corner on State. Well to be honest I thought I had the rest of the group but I found Surgeon and Barracuda waiting for us on the corner of State and Domenigoni. Once the A group came down from Seven dollar hill they joined us on State and I led us to Chambers to start our move east to Fairview. Once on Thornton I got my last shot before the pace strung us out into a long line with me halfway back from the front.

We managed to make the turn onto Crest and I could see Dragon Slayer was paying for the Seven Dollar climb so I went back and pulled him to Lake and Stetson. Gambler, Bulldozer and Newsboy were in front of us and several of the others went straight down Stetson so we found them waiting on Fairview. Barracuda went home early as did Surgeon so the diminished group collected on Fairview and then made a run to Florida and over the road till Fairview turned into Cedar. Bulldozer pulled us to Ramona and the group was split in three with Gambler, Bulldozer, Newsboy, Minotaur and me in the front and Jackal, Dragon Slayer, Socrates, and Digger trailing. I stayed with the lead three after Minotaur fell off but let them go once we got to Soboba. I collected the rest of the B group and started a pace line west on Soboba. By the time we got to State several of the Bs were tired and we found the As waiting for us after the turn on State. Dragon Slayer decided to head for home on Ramona Expressway and Gambler took everyone by Socrates with him east on the expressway. In took Socrates with me to Ramona Boulevard and east to work our way to the San Jacinto to the coffee shop on Harvard. We picked up Newsboy and Minotaur on the corner of Ramona and San Jacinto and rode with them to the coffee shop. We were finally joined by Jackal and Digger as we had coffee or iced tea and chatted till time to go home and start our peaceful weekend.